Article assembling apparatus



Sept. 11, 1945' E. E. MEILSTRUP ARTICLE ASSEMBLING APPARATUS Filed Mar 'ch 31, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .INVE/VTO/Q t. 5. Mmsrwp m Gt m \m QM J AM A TOE/V5) Sept. 11, 1945.- E. E. MEILSTRUP ARTICLE ASSEMBLING APPARAT S Filed Marcl 31, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 11, 1945 UNITED: STATES PATENT OFFICE. 2',ss4,560, y FARTVIICLE ASSEMBLINQ'APPARATUS I Emi l E. Meilstrup, Western Springs, 111., assignor toWestern Electric Company, Incorporated, New York,- N. Y}, a corporation of New York 7 I Application March 31, 1944, Serial No. 528,859 1 3 Claims (o1.154 41) This invention relates to an article assembling apparatus and more particularly to an apparatus for attaching a silk filter to a microphone element.

In the manufacture of some types of microphones, it becomes necessary to place a silk filter over the face of the microphone and to seal it thereto. In attaching this filter in enclosing relationship to the open face of the microphone element, it is necessary for an operator to fold the edges of the silk cover or filter overthe pee, ripher of the microphone element and attach it thereto with a piece of adhesive tape. Asis obvious, this is a tedious and delicate manual operation. I

It is an object of the present inventionjto provide a simple apparatus for expeditiously assembling articles. i

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, an apparatus for attaching a silkfilter to a cylindrical microphone element. is provided wherein the, cylindrical microphone elementwith a circular sheet of silk placed against one face of it is inserted between. a pair of rotatable clamping elements, one of which is provided with a series of apertures for receiving tucking plungf ers which are normally spring-pressed .to a retracted position. Mounted adjacent one of the clamping elements is a stationary cam engaging the rear end of the tucking plungers for gradu-' ally advancing the tucking plungers to tucklthe sheet of silk around the edges of the cylindrical microphone element and showing the tape guiding wheel in a retracted position; v

Fig. 3 is a plan sectional view taken substantially along the line 3 3 of Fig, 1 in the direction of the arrows showing some details of the clamping element which carries the tucking microphone element just prior to the'engagement of the tucked edges of the silk sheet with an ad--,

'hesive tape fed over a guide roller into attaching engagement with the silk and periphery of the cylindrical microphone element. v I

A complete understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,,w herein I Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of anapparatus embodying the present invention, parts being broken away to conserve space, and taken fromav position opposite to that which the operator 'of the apparatus occupies and showing the clamp-.

ing elements in their clamping position where they are holding a microphone element, and a sheet of silk in position to have tape applied to them;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to Fig. 1 except that the apparatus is shown in itsinoperative position with the clamping elements-separated to receive a sheet of silk and a plungers; and, p

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view, partly broken away, showing the article assembled in the apparatus. I f V In the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate the same parts throughout the several views, the apparatus is shoWnas comprising a'base II), having a pair of clamp supporting standards I l and J2 and a tape supply standard I3 mounted thereon. The tape supply standard carries a roll M, of adhesive tape fromwhich tape 15 may be drawn and directed to a guide roller I! I6. Extending across between the two clamp-supporting standards ll and I2 is a pivot shaft I1. having pivotally mounted thereon a forked lever l8, within the upper forked end of which the guide roller Jois mounted for free rotation on a shaft l9. fI'he'shaft l9 extends outwardly to the right, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, from the right hand side'of the lever l8 and has a manually operable cam 20 mounted on its right end to engage the clamp supporting standard ll, through the action of which the lever is may be manipulated. The cam ZiI'has a handle 2! formed integrally with it for operating it.

The lever I8 normally urged to rock, clockwise, as viewedin Figs. 1 andz, by a springpressed plunger 22, which is seatedin a spring barrel 23 having a compression spring 24 therein for normally urging the plunger 22 upwardly to the right (Figs. '1 and 2). Mounted on the base Ill 'isa trunnion block 25, in which the spring barrel 23 is pivotally mounted on trunnions 26. Attached to the left end of the forked portion of the lever I8 is a ca m rod 21 having a cam 28 formed integrally therewith 'for'e'ngaging and actuating a; plunger 29 freelyfsliolable in a projecting portion 30 of the clamp-supportingstandard 2, The end of the plunger 29. opposite .to that which engages the cam 28 engages a, cam plate 3|, which is. in the form of a split ring having itslower end, as designated at 32, fixed to the standardJZ and having a major portion of it free of the standard 12, whereby, when the plunger 29' is moved tothepositionshown in Fig. 1 from" thepos'ition shown in Fig. 2, the cam plate 3| willv beflexed to theposition shown in Fig. 1 and will provide a sloping cam surface for actuating a series. of tucking, plungers, designated prising a pair of rotary clamping members for holding the sheet and member in engagement with each other, a plurality of tucking elements carried by one of said clamping members, a stationary cam for advancing said tucking elements to l'old an edge of the sheet into engagement with the periphery of the cylindrical member, means for directing an adhesive strip into engagement with the folded edge of the sheet and the periphery of the cylindrical member, resilient means for urging said directing means to its operative position, and cam means for rendering said stationary cam operative.

4. An apparatus for assembling a relatively flexible sheet on an end of a cylindrical member comprising a pair of rotary clamping members for holding the sheet and member in engagement with each other, a plurality of tucking elements carried by one of said clamping members, a stationary cam for advancing said tucking elements to fold an edge of the sheet, into engagement with the periphery of the cylindrical member, means for directing an adhesive strip into engagement with the folded edge of the sheet and the periphery oi the cylindrical member, resilient means for urging said directing means to its operative position, cam means for rendering said stationary cam operative, and a common, actuator for the directing means and the cam means.

5. An apparatus for assembling a relatively flexible sheet on an end of a cylindrical member comprising a pair of rotary clamping members for holding the sheet and cylindrical member in engagement with each other, a plurality of tucking elements carried by one of said clamping members, a stationary cam for advancing said tucking elements to fold an edge of the sheet into engagement with the periphery of the cylindrical member, means for directing an adhesive strip into engagement with the folded edge of the sheet and the periphery of the cylindrical member, resilient means for urging said directing means to its operative position, cam means for rendering said stationary cam operative, and means for retracting one of said clampin elements from clamping position.

6. An apparatus for assembling a relatively flexible sheet on a member, a flexible camming element, a plurality of plungers for actuation by said camming element to fold the flexible sheet into engagement with a suriace of the member, cam means for flexing said camming element to operative position, and rotary means for carrying said plungers in engagement with said camming element.

7. An apparatus for assembling a relatively flexible sheet on a member, a flexible camming element, a plurality of plungers for actuation by said camming element to fold the flexible sheet into engagement with a surface of the member, cam means for flexing said camming element to operative position, rotary means for carrying said plungers in engagement with said camming element, and means for directing an attaching strip to engagement with said surface and folded flexible sheet.

8. .An apparatus for assembling a relatively flexible sheet on a member, a flexible camming element, a plurality of plungers for actuation by said camming element to fold the flexible sheet into engagement with a surface of the member, cam means for flexing said camming element to operative position, rotary means for carrying said plungers in engagement with said camming element, and means cooperating with said rotary means for temporarily clamping the flexible sheet and member into operative association with the plungers.

9. An apparatus for assembling a relatively flexible sheet on an end of a member, a. flexible camming element, a plurality of plungers for actuation by said camming element to mm the flexible sheet into engagement with a suriace oi the member, cam means 101' flexing said camming element to operative position, rotary means Ior carrying said plungers in engagement with said camming element, means for directing an attaching strip to engagement with said suriace and folded nexible sneet, and a common actuator Ior said cam means and said directing means.

10. An apparatus Ior assembling a relatively flexible sheet an a cylindrical member, a, flexible camming element, a plurality 0i plunger Ior actuation by said camming element to mid the hexible sheet into engagement with a suriace 01 the member, cam means Ior flexing said camming element to operative position, rotary means ior carrying said plungers in engagement with said camming element, means ior directing an attaching strip to engagement with said suriace and folded flexible sneet, resilient means normally holding said directmg means and said cam means in operative position, and a manually operable cam ior compressing said resilient means and retracting bile directing Elba/11S and cam means BO inoperative position.

11. An apparatus for assembling a round sheet of nexible material on the end of a cylindrical member comprising a nexibie camming element, a plurality or plungers ior actuation by said camming element to rule. the edges or the sheet into engagement with the peripheral suriace 01 the cylinorical member, cam means Ior flexing said camimng element to operative position, rotary means 101' carrying said plungers in engagement with the camming element, and means ior guiding a strip or adhesive tape into engagement with the ioldecl suriaces oi the sheet and the peripheral surIace of the cylindrical member,

12. An apparatus Ior assembling a round sheet of flexible material on the end of a cylindrical member comprising a nexible camming element, a plurality or plungers I'or actuation by said camming element to fold the edges or the sheet into engagement with the peripheral suri'ace of the cylindrical member, cam means for flexing said camming element to operative position, rotary means 101 carrying said plungers in engagement with the camming element, means for guiding a strip of adhesive tape into engagement with the folded suriaces of the sheet and the peripheral surface of the cylindrical member, and means cooperating with said rotary means to clamp the sheet and cylindrical member in position against the rotary member.

13. An apparatus for assembling a round sheet of flexible material on the end of a cylindrical member comprising a flexible camming element, a plurality of plungers for actuation by said camming element to fold the edges of the sheet into engagement with the peripheral surface of the member, cam means for flexing said camming element to operative position, and rotary means rotatable with the cylindrical member having .an annular shoulder for slidably supporting said plungers in position to successively engage the round sheet adjacent its periphery and to carry said plungers in sliding engagement with said camming element. 

